Tommy Tomlinson
Tommy Tomlinson has hosted the podcast SouthBound for WFAE since 2017. He also does a commentary, On My Mind, which airs every Monday.
He's the author of "The Elephant in the Room," a memoir about life as an overweight man in a growing America. He spent 23 years as a reporter and local columnist for the Charlotte Observer, where he was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in commentary. He has also written for publications including Esquire, ESPN The Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and Garden & Gun. He’s a graduate of the University of Georgia and was a 2008-09 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University.
Tommy and his wife, Alix Felsing, live in Charlotte.
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One of NASCAR’s all-time characters is on the track right now, winning races and infuriating other drivers. But the country at large doesn’t know him. WFAE’s Tommy Tomlinson, in his "On My Mind" commentary, wonders if it’s too late for NASCAR to get any cultural traction. -
This week on SouthBound, we're replaying host Tommy Tomlinson's 2018 talk with Dale Earnhardt Jr. There’s a new documentary produced by Dale Jr. on his dad, NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, and the conversation gets into their complicated family dynamic. -
Charlotte city government had been humming along quietly for a while, avoiding any major controversy. But WFAE’s Tommy Tomlinson, in his "On My Mind" commentary, says that when things changed, they changed in a hurry.
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The city of Charlotte has come to a settlement with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings over statements from a City Council member. WFAE’s Tommy Tomlinson, in his "On My Mind" commentary, says it sets a troubling precedent.
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This week on SouthBound, host Tommy Tomlinson talks to novelist Carl Hiaasen, who has been spinning wild tales of heroes and villains in Florida for nearly 40 years. They talk about his new book, “Fever Beach,” and lots more — including his longtime friendship with Jimmy Buffett. -
We have finally come to a conclusion in the long-running appeal of the race for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court. WFAE’s Tommy Tomlinson, in his “On My Mind” commentary, says there should be a better way to deliver justice in such cases.
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We’re through the first 100 days of a new American regime. WFAE’s Tommy Tomlinson, in his "On My Mind" commentary, says making it through the days to come could depend on looking inward as well as outward.
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This week on SouthBound, we replay host Tommy Tomlinson's 2023 conversation with Texas singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen. Keen talks about his beginnings as a musician, his decision to stop touring full time, and his Hill Country retreat where he goes to write songs.
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Will the Carolina Panthers’ 2025 draft class make the team a contender again? Nobody knows — yet. And WFAE’s Tommy Tomlinson, in his "On My Mind" commentary, says the anticipation is a beautiful thing.
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The restored Carolina Theatre holds a special place in Charlotte’s history. But WFAE’s Tommy Tomlinson, in his "On My Mind" commentary, says it’s also a symbol of our potential now and in the future.
